Quick insertion arrangement especially for sparkplugs in combustion engines

ABSTRACT

In a motor vehicle having a combustion engine including cylinder heads and walls and operable with an ignition plug, an arrangement for the quick insertion of the ignition plug comprising a sleeve having a thread formed thereon about its outer surface for cooperation with a correspondingly formed thread in a recess made in the cylinder wall, an inner profile formed on the sleeve, a first profile formed on the ignition plug cooperating with the inner profile of the sleeve and allowing insertion of the insertion with plug into the sleeve in the axial direction, the outer first profile on the ignition plug being constructed to cooperate with means formed on the sleeve to retain the ignition plug in the sleeve after a predetermined rotation of the ignition plug in the sleeve, a second outer profile formed on the ignition plug in the sleeve, a second outer profile formed on the ignition plug for the application of an appropriate tool thereto for the rotation of the ignition plug, means limiting the rotation of the ignition plug, in the sleeve whereby the application of a rotational movement by the tool will cause the rotation of the sleeve and to establish a threaded engagement between the sleeve and the thread formed in the recess.

United States Patent 1 Spengler et al.

[ QUICK INSERTION ARRANGEMENT ESPECIALLY FOR SPARKPLUGS IN COMBUSTION ENGINES [75] Inventors: Erich Spengler; Gerard Georges,

both of Wolfsburg, Germany [73] Assignee: Volkswagenwerk Aktiengesellschaft,

Wolfsburg, Germany [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 188,389

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 13, 1970 Germany"; P 20 50 183.1

[52] US. Cl. 123/148 A, 123/169 R [51] Int. Cl. F02p 13/00 [58] Field of Search 123/32, 325 PA, 169 R,

123/169 PA, 169 PH, 169 BB, 169 EC; 285/360, 361, 376, 396, 401, 402

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,412,821 12/1946 Malin et al 123/32 R 831,224 9/1906 Hammer 285/361 Primary Examiner-Laurence M. Goodridge AttorneyErnest F. Marmorek 1 July 24, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT In a motor vehicle having a combustion engine including cylinder heads and walls and operable with an ignition plug, an arrangement for the quick insertion of the ignition plug comprising a sleeve having a thread formed thereon about its outer surface for cooperation with a correspondingly formed thread in a recess made in the cylinder wall, an inner profile formed on the sleeve, a first profile formed on the ignition plug cooperating with the inner profile of the sleeve and allowing insertion of the insertion with plug into the sleeve in the axial direction, the outer first profile on the ignition plug being constructed to cooperate with means formed on the sleeve to retain the ignition plug in the sleeve after a predetermined rotation of the ignition plug in the sleeve, a second outer profile formed on the ignition plug in the sleeve, a second outer profile formed on the ignition plug for the application of an appropriate tool thereto for the rotation of the ignition plug, means limiting the rotation of the ignition plug, in the sleeve whereby the application of a rotational movement by the tool will cause the rotation of the sleeve and to establish a threaded engagement between the sleeve and the thread formed in the recess.

14 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented July 24, 1973 3,747,583

INVENT R5; E'rmh Speng :7 BY Ge'YovrcL fieovgas 1164 Thai-r A)? ovney QUICK INSERTION ARRANGEMENT ESPECIALLY FOR SPARKPLUGS IN COMBUSTION ENGINES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an arrangement for the quick insertion and the subsequent screwing into an operational position along with its arresting in such position of a member, preferably such position being in a wall portion. The insertion being performed by means of a sleeve screwed into the recess and having an outer thread thereon and which is provided with an inner profile specially designed with the consideration of the outer profile of the member in such a manner that the profile releases the member only at a certain alignment assumed with respect to the sleeve for movement into the axial direction, while otherwise the profile serves as the securing means for the member when the sleeve is screwed into position. The above is a broadly described application of the present invention while a more specific form of it relates to an arrangement for the insertion and the arresting of a sparkplug in a cylinder wall of a combustion engine, however, the present invention finds applications where the arresting or latching process should be performed fast and, if possible, only by means of rotating a member fully or partially.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Sparkplugs are generally screwed into their operational position. In addition to the required considerable amount of time other difficulties might arise such as, that the sparkplugs frequently are arranged on places which are relatively difficult to reach so that it is not uncommon that a tilting and thereby a damaging of the thread within the bore of the cylinder wall takes place.

From German Patent 942,304, 4603 46 a quick insertion arrangement for sparkplugs became known having the construction above described which, in its details is executed in such a manner that the inner profile of the sleeve becomes aligned by means of a collar which is turned inwardly and which at a certain positioning of the sparkplug will pass through the plug with its hexagonal body portion, while on the other hand, after being rotated, it exerts a pressure on the hexagonal body portion from "above. In order to tighten the threaded connection between the sleeve and the bore in the wall portion of the cylinder, an internal wrench is inserted into the sleeve. As can be seen easily, such inserting arrangement becomes inapplicable especially when the sparkplugs are arranged in a tilted fashion or completely turned around, that is, from underneath. Then it becomes impossible to insert the sparkplug with the help of a simple tool or to bring it into the latching position by rotation since the sleeve can become tightened into its threaded engagement only when the sparkplug abuts against a surface or shoulder which serves as a heat sink. The above difficulties can be explained by that the hexagonal body portion of the sparkplug which serves to be engaged by a tool is not freely accessible but it lies within the sleeve due to the fact that it represents the outer profile of the sparkplug cooperating with the inner profile of the sleeve.

It becomes, therefore, necessary with this known arrangement to loosen up the sleeve to such an extent that the sparkplug after its insertion could be rotated by hand into its latching position and then the sleeve can be subsequently tightened by means of a wrench.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel quick insertion arrangement for a member into a recess which generally follows the above-described construction principle, however, which is capable of eliminating the disadvantages described in connection with the above-described known quick insertion arrangements.

According to the present invention the member to be inserted carries in the axial direction a pair of profiles which are offset with respect to each other in the axial direction and of which the one which lies closer to the wall portion is the outer profile and the other profile permits the application of a wrench-like tool to establish or release the arresting of the member.

The arrangement according to the present invention rests also on the basic principle that the securing of the member is done in a split fashion after its insertion into the sleeve by means of certain profiles while threaded profiles serve for the arresting in its place. While in the aforementioned German Patent the known construction uses a securing surface or profile formed on the member to be inserted which, in case of a sparkplug, is the usual portion for the application of a wrench. in

order to perform the arresting the tool is applied to the sleeve. In contrast, the present invention provides a member to be inserted having two profiles of which the first one counted in the direction of insertion serves for the axial securing of the member in the sleeve while the back profile when viewed in the direction of the insertion and placed also on the member to be inserted serves for the application of a tool. This construction makes it possible, for example, in the case of a spark plug, to insert the plug into a wrench and then by axially moving the wrench the sleeve is placed into the recess or bore while through a subsequent rotational movemment of the wrench the arresting is performed by the sleeve being moved together with the plug. This simple operation makes it possible to insert sparkplugs also from below or in a tilted fashion downwardly.

The invention also provides the possibility to form the sleeve in a collar-like fashion and by leaving a distance with respect to the other profile formed on the member, which can be a sparkplug, and over which distance the sleeve projects so that a wrench can be shoved between the other profile and in this region of the sleeve.

With this construction it might become advantageous that the other profile is formed outwardly with respect to the wall end of the sleeve in a free lying fashion. For reasons of space economy the sleeve is preferably completely arranged within the recess.

According to the preferred feature of the invention the outer and inner profile are projections which rotate together with the sleeve and perform the arresting. The outer and inner profiles preferably form a bayonette connection. The invention also provides that with the increased force of tightening use should be made also of the increasing friction between the cooperating surfaces.

While until now the means and measures have been described which serve for the performing of a secured connection, in the following the measures and means will be described broadly which perform the releasing of the connection.

Usually the sleeve is provided with means to prevent its falling out from the recess after the arresting has been released. Such means can be in the form of limiting means which limits the rotational movement between the sleeve and the wall, such for example, a pin within the recess which cooperates with a slot or abutting surface on the sleeve. It is also possible to provide such means in the form of a removable ring within the recess which limits the maximum axial rotation of the sleeve after the arresting has been released. Strictly speaking both of the above described types function as rotational limiters and are in the form of an axial boss means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention in the form of a sparkplug with the quick inset arrangement according to the present invention in its operating position in the cylinder wall of a combustion engine which is shown in a vertical section and partially illustrating only the cylinder head;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the sleeve means according to the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the sleeve means according to FIG. 2, partly in section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrate a cylinder head 1 in vertical cross section having a sparkplug 2 inserted therein. As can be seen from this figure the sparkplug 2 has a pair of outer profiles which are offset with respect'to each other in the axial direction, more particularly, there is a front profile 3 when viewed in the direction of insertion and a back profile 4 when viewed in the direction of insertion and which, as is illustrated in the right half of the sparkplug 2, is a usual hexagonal body portion 4. The left half of the sparkplug 2 illustrates an alternative made in the form of a cam means 5. Usually several of such camming means 5 are provided about the sparkplug in a symmetrical or unsymmetrical fashion and which can be engaged by an appropriate tool. A similar consideration applies also to the formation of the outer profile 3 which is first in the direction of the insertion, that is, it can be made in alternative forms.

An essential feature of the present invention resides in that the sparkplug 2 has no threads made thereon, and as a result, it cannot be directly inserted into the recess 6 in the cylinder head 1. There is rather a subdivision of the securing present here in the form of an axial insertion and a rotation, the latter in the illustrated embodiment requiring less than a full rotation. Such subdivision of the securing is performed by a sleeve 7 which by means of its outer thread 8 is screwed into the recess 6 of the cylinder head 1. The sleeve 7 is also provided with an inner profile which cooperates with the front profile 3 of the sparkplug 2.

The specific features of construction if the sleeve 7 are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. With reference to FIG. 2 it is seen that theinner profile of the sleeve 7 is substantially manifested in the form of three transverse projections 9,10 and 11 between which longitudinally running recesses 12,13 and 14 extend and which are designed in such a manner that the sparkplug 2 with its front profile 3 can be inserted into the sleeve 7. Such inserting movement will terminate as soon as the sparkplug 2 with its front cone 15 illustrated in the left half of the showing of FIG. 1 comes to engagement with a counter cone on thecylinder wall 1. As can be seen in the right half illustration of FIG. 1 such conical abutting surface can be obtained by securing on the sparkplug 2 a conical bolt 16 by threads.

In accordance with the three transverse recesses 12,13 and 14 the outer profile 3 or front profile which is first in the insertion direction on the sparkplug 2 is formed in the shape of three earns the front surface of which are chamfered in order to aid the insertion while their back surfaces run in a plane which is vertical with respect to the axis of the sparkplug 2. After being rotates, such back surfaces engage the back of the transverse projections 9,10 and 1 1 by sliding behind them so that the sparkplug 2 cannot be removed thereafter. Furthermore the surfaces of the outer profile 3 which are considered as the front surfaces when viewed in the direction of rotation cooperate with projections on the sleeve 7 of which only projections 17 and 18 can be seen in FIG. 3., so that during the rotation of the sparkplug 2 which is accomplished by applying an appropriate tool to the back profiles 4 or 5, the sleeve 7 will be carried along by such projections 17 and 18. The thread 8 then takes care of the arresting of the sparkplug.

While the rotational movement during the attaining of the arresting is limited on one side by the fixed contact between the surfaces 15 and 16 on the sparkplug and on the other hand on the counter cone in the cylinder head,further measures should be provided in order to prevent the unscrewing of the sleeve 7 during the releasing of the latching of the sparkplug. To this effect one may provide in the recess 6 pins which project into the space between the projections 17 and 18 on the sleeve 7. FIG. 1 illustrate the use of such means in the form of a removable flexible ring 19 which limits the maximum axial movement of the sleeve 7 during the termination of the arresting so that during this termination a further rotation of the sleeve 7 as well as of sparkplug 2 cannot be had and the sparkplug 2 in this condition will be then moved out of the recess 6 in the axial direction.

By employing a conical nut 16 it preferably carries the profile 3 of the sparkplug 2 which is considered as the front profile when viewed in the direction of inser tion.

I wish it to be understood that I donnot desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a motor vehicle having a combustion engine including cylinder heads and walls and operable with an ignition device, an arrangement for the quick insertion of said ignition device comprising a sleeve means having a thread formed thereon about its outer surface for cooperation with correspondingly formed thread means in a recess made in said cylinder wall, said recess further containing an abutment surface, an inner profile formed on said sleeve means, a first profile formed on said ignition device cooperating with said inner profile of said sleeve means andallowing insertion of said ignition device into said sleeve means in axial direction at a predetermined alignment of said ignition device relative to said sleeve means only, said outer first profile on said ignition device being constructed to cooperate with means formed on said sleeve means to retain said ignition device in said sleeve means after a predetermined rotation of said ignition device in said sleeve means, a second outer profile formed on said ignition device for the application of an appropriate tool thereto for the rotation of said ignition device, whereby the application of a rotational movement by said tool will cause limited rotation of said ignition device in said sleeve means and subsequent rotation of said sleeve means until one of the parts undergoing said rotation engages said abutment surface thereby causing latching of said ignition device in said cylinder wall, and means for preventing removal of said sleeve means from said recess when said latching is released.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second profile is formed on said ignition device to lie freely of said wall of said cylinder head and of said sleeve means when said ignition device is inserted into said sleeve means.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1, comprising means causing rotation of said sleeve means when said ignition device is rotated by said tool, said means comprise projections on said sleeve means.

4. The combinationas claimed in claim 1, wherein said preventing means comprises means for limiting the rotation between said sleeve means and said wall of said cylinder head.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein said preventing means comprise a removable ring means placed in said recess forlimiting the maximum axial movement of said sleeve means during the releasing of said latching of said ignition device.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means when inserted on said recess is completely surrounded by said recess in the axial direction.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first profile and said inner profile on said sleeve means form a bayonette type connection.

8. An arrangement for the quick insertion of a memher into an operating position in an apparatus comprising a sleeve means having a thread formed thereon about its outer surface for cooperation with correspondingly formed thread means in a recess made in said apparatus, an inner profile formed on said sleeve means, said recess further containing an abutment surface, a first profile formed on said member cooperating with said inner profile of said sleeve means and allowing insertion of said member into said sleeve means in axial direction, at a predetermined alignment of said member relative to said sleeve means only, said outer first profile on said member being constructed to cooperate with means formed on said sleeve means to retain said member in said sleeve means after a predetermined rotation of said member in said sleeve means, a second outer profile formed on said member for the application of an appropriate tool thereto for the rotation of said member, whereby the application of a rotational movement by said tool will cause limited rotation of said member in said sleeve means and subsequent rotation of said sleeve means until one of the parts undergoing said rotation engages said abutment surface thereby causing latching of said member in said apparatus, and means for preventing removal of said sleeve means from said recess when said latching is released.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said second profile is formed on said member to lie freely of said wall of said apppratus and of said sleeve means when said member is inserted into said sleeve means.

10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, comprising means causing rotation of said sleeve means when said member is rotated by said tool, said means comprise projections on said sleeve means.

11. The arrangment as claimed in claim 8, wherein said preventing means comprises a rotation limiting means for limiting the rotation between the sleeve means and the wall of said apparatus.

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein said preventing means comprise a removable ring means placed in said recess for limiting the maximum axial movement of said sleeve means during the releasing of said latching of said member.

13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said sleeve means when inserted in said recess is commeans form a bayonette type connection.

* III 

1. In a motor vehicle having a combustion engine including cylinder heads and walls and operable with an ignition device, an arrangement for the quick insertion of said ignition device comprising a sleeve means having a thread formed thereon about its outer surface for cooperation with correspondingly formed thread means in a recess made in said cylinder wall, said recess further containing an abutment surface, an inner profile formed on said sleeve means, a first profile formed on said ignition device cooperating with said inner profile of said sleeve means and allowing insertion of said ignition device into said sleeve means in axial direction at a predetermined alignment of said ignition device relative to said sleeve means only, said outer first profile on said ignition device being constructed to cooperate with means formed on said sleeve means to retain said ignition device in said sleeve means after a predetermined rotation of said ignition device in said sleeve means, a second outer profile formed on said ignition device for the application of an appropriate tool thereto for the rotation of said ignition device, whereby the application of a rotational movement by said tool will cause limited rotation of said ignition device in said sleeve Means and subsequent rotation of said sleeve means until one of the parts undergoing said rotation engages said abutment surface thereby causing latching of said ignition device in said cylinder wall, and means for preventing removal of said sleeve means from said recess when said latching is released.
 2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second profile is formed on said ignition device to lie freely of said wall of said cylinder head and of said sleeve means when said ignition device is inserted into said sleeve means.
 3. The combination as claimed in claim 1, comprising means causing rotation of said sleeve means when said ignition device is rotated by said tool, said means comprise projections on said sleeve means.
 4. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said preventing means comprises means for limiting the rotation between said sleeve means and said wall of said cylinder head.
 5. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein said preventing means comprise a removable ring means placed in said recess forlimiting the maximum axial movement of said sleeve means during the releasing of said latching of said ignition device.
 6. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means when inserted on said recess is completely surrounded by said recess in the axial direction.
 7. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first profile and said inner profile on said sleeve means form a bayonette type connection.
 8. An arrangement for the quick insertion of a member into an operating position in an apparatus comprising a sleeve means having a thread formed thereon about its outer surface for cooperation with correspondingly formed thread means in a recess made in said apparatus, an inner profile formed on said sleeve means, said recess further containing an abutment surface, a first profile formed on said member cooperating with said inner profile of said sleeve means and allowing insertion of said member into said sleeve means in axial direction, at a predetermined alignment of said member relative to said sleeve means only, said outer first profile on said member being constructed to cooperate with means formed on said sleeve means to retain said member in said sleeve means after a predetermined rotation of said member in said sleeve means, a second outer profile formed on said member for the application of an appropriate tool thereto for the rotation of said member, whereby the application of a rotational movement by said tool will cause limited rotation of said member in said sleeve means and subsequent rotation of said sleeve means until one of the parts undergoing said rotation engages said abutment surface thereby causing latching of said member in said apparatus, and means for preventing removal of said sleeve means from said recess when said latching is released.
 9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said second profile is formed on said member to lie freely of said wall of said apppratus and of said sleeve means when said member is inserted into said sleeve means.
 10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, comprising means causing rotation of said sleeve means when said member is rotated by said tool, said means comprise projections on said sleeve means.
 11. The arrangment as claimed in claim 8, wherein said preventing means comprises a rotation limiting means for limiting the rotation between the sleeve means and the wall of said apparatus.
 12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein said preventing means comprise a removable ring means placed in said recess for limiting the maximum axial movement of said sleeve means during the releasing of said latching of said member.
 13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said sleeve means when inserted in said recess is completely surrounded by said recess in the axial direction.
 14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first profile and said inner profile on said sleeve means form a bayonette type Connection. 